The morning after the oh-so-fabulous God Save The Queen party at The Room, I woke up excited and ready to go. Why excited, you might ask? Well, not only did The Bay fly the fab Brits into Toronto for a party, the designers were also on hand to showcase their Spring 2011 collections, which were open to the public the next day. Unable to pass up such an incredible opportunity, my schedule was planned around the The Next British Invasion.

Having apparently missed Charlotte Olympia’s trunk show, I was a bit bummed, but was really looking forward to the panel discussion with the designers and Bronwyn Cosgrave at the helm. And it was well-worth the wait!

Having prepared for the day by reading some of the designers’ previous interviews, it was still fascinating to hear the Q&A straight from the artists’ mouths in an intimate environment. Designers were asked about their personal journeys and how they came to be who they are today. Best response of the day definitely went to Charlotte Olympia Dellal, who, when asked why she chose to design shoes of all things, replied with “What girl wouldn’t want to make her own shoes?”. A response that drew many ladies in attendance to nod (and whoop) in agreement.

Jonathan Saunders offered some insight into collaborating with Topshop, while Nicholas Kirkwood shared stories about the upcoming opening of his first standalone store and the late Isabella Blow – style icon credited with much of Alexander McQueen’s success. Giles Deacon provided some comic relief for the day, by addressing Cosgrave’s “Lindsay Lohan” question by saying that he had to get rid of “loads of needles” at Ungaro…”sewing needles that is”. Mark Fast let us in on reasons why he chooses to make his clothes by hand and Erdem Moralioglu told us that his secret for dealing with bad reviews is to “move on quickly”.

I know that I’ve said this before, but it felt almost surreal to be listening to these incredibly talented designers lined up in front of us, gathered in the same room. And judging by their interaction, one could definitely tell that they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company too. Erdem confirmed this by offering that they “have a wonderful sense of community where we all know each other and we’re all friends”. They certainly seemed friendly enough – no claws in sight.

The panel discussion was followed by a string of trunk shows, featuring beautiful Spring 2011 clothes from London, which even Jeanne Beker couldn’t resist attending.

By the end of the day, one could clearly see that both events were hugely successful – an incredible opportunity for Canadians to get a glimpse behind the curtain of the fascinating world of British Fashion Royalty, courtesy of The Room and its creative director Nicholas Melamphy. And judging by the direction The Bay has taken as of late, and by the willingness of the new and established designers to be seen and for their brands to be carried at the venerable Canadian retailer, this might be one of the first events of such scale in Toronto, but it certainly isn’t the last. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Nicholas Kirkwood and I. He shared that he was going on a quick trip to Niagara Falls right after the trunk shows – a place we all take for granted, yet it’s fascinating for the Brits. Who would’ve thought?

Last week, the most amazing thing happened. A group of prominent young British designers landed in Toronto to be feted at The Bay’s own Room on Queen St. Having swooned over many of their collections on Style.com for years, it was an incredible experience to have been able to meet and mingle with such creative geniuses as Canadian-born Erdem Moralioglu and Mark Fast, Jonathan Saunders, Nicholas Kirkwood, Giles Deacon, Marios Schwab, Tom Binns, Mary Katrantzou and the lovely Charlotte Olympia Dellal – all huge names worldwide, and all partying together at the same Room at the same time! When I first got the invite, I think le boyfriend went deaf from my…ahem…excitement. Huge thanks to Sandra for the invite! You’ve made my year!

I must say that I was quite nervous and starstruck by most of these talented individuals, and as Sharon of The Backseat Stylers put it, sometimes you have to remind yourself that designers too are people. If there was one designer that I really REALLY wanted to meet it had to be Erdem. I’ve always been fascinated by his beautiful, feminine designs and thankfully, the designer himself was just as charming in person. As a Canadian, who once upon a time went to Ryerson, he said that it felt great to come home, where he still has a lot of friends and family.

Later on at the party, I also got a chance to meet and speak to Charlotte Olympia Dellal, whose fun and fab outfit (peep the banana clutch) and whimsical shoes stole my heart, as did her cheeky personality.

Other attendees that night included Tommy Ton of Jak and Jil, whose photos are a huge inspiration to thousands of fashion lovers everywhere, and who is also notably a Canadian, Lisa Tant of Flare Magazine, Dan Levy of MTV Canada, and dozens of amazing Toronto bloggers. I had such an great time hanging out with Sharon and her hubby, Kimberly of The Souls of My Shoes, Lisa – The Hip Urban Girl, and meeting stylist Tricia Campbell Hall.

There were so many stylish people to photograph, so many beautiful (and I mean REALLY beautiful) clothes and shoes to look at – I can truthfully say that this was the event of the year in my books. So much talent and fashion under one roof, it was intoxicating.

And that’s the thing about the new Room at The Bay. It offers a wealth of labels to even the pickiest of shoppers, all carefully displayed in a gorgeous, brightly lit space, featuring trunk shows straight off the latest fashion shows, and giving its customers an opportunity to actually meet the designers. Even on a regular shopping day, The Room is an experience in itself, but pair it with what happened at The Next British Invasion gala, and you’ve got yourself a sure recipe for a night to remember. It might not feel like The Bay you already know, and perhaps it isn’t. This newly-improved Bay is way better!

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…